Charlie Morton’s latest feat speaks to why Braves keep bringing him back, longevity

Yes, he is several seasons removed from being the All-Star pitcher he once was. But veteran right-hander Charlie Morton still provides the Atlanta Braves with a serviceable rotational arm, evidenced by his latest feat.

Per MLB, Morton became the 22nd hurler ever to log a win against all 30 teams in the majors on Friday. Ironically, the 40-year-old did it against the Pittsburgh Pirates, whom he spent seven years playing for from 2009-15.

Morton threw 6.1 scoreless innings against the Pirates, allowing only three hits and striking out seven batters. His dominant breaking ball was on full display, retiring 10 consecutive Pittsburgh batters at one point. This outing highlights exactly why Atlanta has re-signed him or exercised his club option every year since 2020 -- his durability.

Charlie Morton’s longevity highlights why the Braves keep bringing him back

Considering health and availability concerns have been a recurring theme for the Braves in recent years, Morton is a revelation. Atlanta has been decimated by injuries, particularly to its pitching staff in 2024. Meanwhile, the 17-year vet has started at least 30 games in three straight campaigns and five of the past six, pacing to do so again.

After Morton etched his name in league history versus the Pirates, Braves manager Brian Snitker described it as a "pretty cool thing." Moreover, the Atlanta skipper expressed how impressed he is with the former handling such a large workload throughout his career.

"What he does is amazing to me. With all the innings, pitches and years logged -- how that ball continues to come out just blows me away," Snitker said.

Snitker credited Morton for his work ethic and consistency, citing his consistent approach as one reason the Braves continue retaining the latter.

"We keep bringing him [Morton] back because it's almost like, 'What are we going to do without him?' He is hard to replace."

Like a cockroach, you can't kill Morton. He continues defying Father Time and outlasting his counterparts around the league, who are dropping like flies with significant elbow damage. It is a testament to his conditioning and longevity.

Morton is 5-4 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.249 WHIP across 15 starts this season. He has 87 punchouts across 85.2 innings pitched.